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ilovehenrywinter's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
I LOVE reading about Merivel. He is so real and raw, someone with a lot of flaws, yet insanely loveable and relatable. Every time Pearce was mentioned i had to hold in the tears AND THE ENDING OH THE ENDING, it was so good? Some part of me hated it, another thought it was perfect. I love the way Tremain writes, especially her characterisation. I can’t explain how well done Merivel is. His thoughts are fascinating. I do however, think that it is not, what i would call light reading. If i were to go back in time, i would read it at a time with no school and i could devour it in a few days.
hayleybeale's review against another edition
5.0
I'd just listened to a podcast with Rose Tremain when I saw this sequel in the bookstore. Merivel is such a wonderful, self-knowing and romantic character that I wanted it to keep going forever.
sab_1961's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Recommend the audiobook and it’s the second in a series.
krobart's review against another edition
3.0
See my review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/day-958-merivel-a-man-of-his-time/
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/day-958-merivel-a-man-of-his-time/
khazbin's review against another edition
3.0
Personally, not my preferred genre. It was interesting nonetheless, enough so to finish the book.
The main character didn't much endear himself to me but his concerns and reactions were realistically human. The only thing about him I appreciated was his care for animals. Frankly, I was more interested in learning more about his dead friend.
I enjoyed the style in which the book itself was written. it put me in mind of the times, just as I'm sure it was meant to.
This was a free Goodreads first reads book.
The main character didn't much endear himself to me but his concerns and reactions were realistically human. The only thing about him I appreciated was his care for animals. Frankly, I was more interested in learning more about his dead friend.
I enjoyed the style in which the book itself was written. it put me in mind of the times, just as I'm sure it was meant to.
This was a free Goodreads first reads book.
gjmaupin's review against another edition
3.0
A pleasure, especially after the last two crapfests at work.
john_bizzell's review against another edition
funny
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
4.0
It is a long time since the publication of Restoration, so long that I can barely remember the details of the book. That's probably a good thing as I approached Merivel without blinkers.
Set in the last few years of the reign of Charles II. Merivel continues the story of Sir Robert Merivel, a low-born physician who caught the eye of the King and whose journey from favour to poverty and back again was the story of Restoration. Now Merivel is living at his country house in norfolk and wants an adventure. He travels to Paris and meets Madame de Flamanville, an attractive woman in an unhappy marriage. Returning to England he finds his beloved daughter seriously ill and after restoring her health she goes to live at Court. Merivel is unable to settle, unable to commit to any woman and driven by base passions.
This book is wonderfully hypnotic, the prose is elegant. Merivel is an unreliable narrator but his story is fascinating.
Set in the last few years of the reign of Charles II. Merivel continues the story of Sir Robert Merivel, a low-born physician who caught the eye of the King and whose journey from favour to poverty and back again was the story of Restoration. Now Merivel is living at his country house in norfolk and wants an adventure. He travels to Paris and meets Madame de Flamanville, an attractive woman in an unhappy marriage. Returning to England he finds his beloved daughter seriously ill and after restoring her health she goes to live at Court. Merivel is unable to settle, unable to commit to any woman and driven by base passions.
This book is wonderfully hypnotic, the prose is elegant. Merivel is an unreliable narrator but his story is fascinating.
siria's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't know this was a sequel when I picked it up, and haven't read the first installment about the life of Sir Robert Merivel, but Tremain's writing was accessible enough that that wasn't an obstacle. This is an amiably picaresque novel set in the twilight of Charles II's reign, vividly written and with characters that are well-drawn. Tremain does a good job at conjuring up a main character who is intelligent and flawed, someone whose reflections have the power to move the reader but not to render them insensible to his role in creating his own problems. There were a couple of scenes which seemed a bit clunky and included more for shock value than anything else—the gangbang in the French coach comes to mind—but overall Merivel's melancholy gaiety is engaging.